I finished a second reading of Beamtimes and Lifetimes: The World of High-Energy Physicists and discussed it in Jean Lave's ethnography class today. When I have more time, I really want to write about this class. But for now, I'll just share a quote I heard years ago that the book helped me recall. It says a lot about physicists and the culture of physics, as I have experienced it and as Traweek wrote about it. :~)

It's wonderful. Especially for the disaffected failed physics major in me. :~)

Jean doesn't have a syllabus, but the general goal of the course is to consider five ethnographies deeply and thoroughly by reading them multiple times. We're almost done with round two; for the third round we select one of the readings (I'm selecting this one), read it a third time, and develop a paper on it. (Or we can select something else if we want. Jean is pretty open to anything.) The class has also been sprinkled with Jean's wonderful, insightful diatribes on ethnography, academia, social theory, and even human subjects, which I will hopefully get around to posting. (Danah's blogged about some of them already.) Our reading list has been heavy on the Jeans, coincidentally. :~)

Inuit Morality Play, Jean BriggsLearning to Labor, Paul WillisBeamtimes and Lifetimes, Sharon TraweekLucy Suchman (the first reading was her new version of Plans and Situated Actions, but as this isn't an ethnography we'll be selecting some of her other readings for the second round)Deadly Words, Jeanne Favret-Saada